Self-regulating sprinkler



Dec. 14, 1943. o. H. ENGLEHART SELF-REGULATING SPRINKLER Filed July s1, 1940 Iliff/lll.

Patented Dec. 14, 1943 UNTED if;

OFFICE 7 Claims.

My invention relates to water sprinklers of the rotating jet type and has for its principal objects to provide a sprinkler which in service will act automatically to discharge a predetermined quantity of water regardless of the pressure prevailing in the supply line to which the sprinkler is connected and further, to provide simple and efficient means for minimizing leakage through the joint or bearing between the rotating body of the sprinkler and the supply pipe on which said body is mounted.

Where a number of sprinklers are served by a single supply pipe, there is usually considerable variation of the volume of water discharged from the diiferent sprinklers due to differences in elevation or unequal pressures due to friction between the rotary sprinkler and the supply pipe.

Such variable discharge is very undesirable inasmuch as considerable water is wasted where the sprinkler discharges more water than is necessary and further, the excessive amount of water discharged from the sprinkler frequently damages the plant growth and crops.

While it is possible to manually regulate each sprinkler by means of some form of valve, such practice will involve considerable time, labor and consequent expense, particularly where a portable sprinkling system is used and which requires individual adjustment of each sprinkler after each move of the portable system.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view partly in section of one form of my improved sprinkler.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken through the center of the form of sprinkler illustrated 'in Fig. l and showing the rotary head in elevated position.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken through the center of a modified form of the sprinkler.

In the form of sprinkler illustrated in Figs. l, 2, and 3, it designates an `upright pipe that is connected to a source of water supply under pressure and mounted to rotate freely on the upper portion of said pipe is a head H containing in its upper portion a chamber I2 and cornmunicating with said chamber are the inner ends of tubular arms I3, the outer end portions of which are slightly inclined and carry jet nozzles III.

Head H is mounted on the upper portion of a sleeve II andthe latter is mounted to rotate freely 'and slide vertically on tubular spindle It.

As a result of the construction just described, rotation of the head H is accomplished by reaction of the jets of water issuing from the nozzles I4. f

Removably positioned in the upper end of the tube Ill is a screw plug I 5 vprovided on its upper end with a flange IE that projects beyond the periphery of tube Ill, thereby providing a stop against which the top lof sleeve II which forms the bottom surface of the chamber I2 engages to limit the upward movement of rotary head Hand sleeve II.

Formed through the wall of tube Il) immediately below plug I5 is an aperture Il. Seated in the top of head H and extending downwardly into the upper portion of chamber -I2 is a screw I8, the lower end of which is adapted to engage on top of screw plug I5, thereby limiting the downward movement of rotary fhead H on tube I0.

Since a portion of the bottom surface of chamber I2 is displaced by the tubular spindle I0 on which the head H rotates, the water pressure has greater eifect on the top surface of the chamber I2 than on its bottom surface and as a result there is an upward thrust on the rotary head while the sprinkler is in operation.

When the sprinkler is placed in service and the pressure Within chamber I2 is sufficient to lift the weight of rotary head H and parts carried thereby, said head will move upward with the result that the sleeve II will pass upwardly I to partially close aperture Il, consequently reducing the pressure within chamber I2 so as to establish Kan equilibrium which maintains a constant pressure and consequent uniform discharge of water through the rotary head and from the jet nozzles I4.

'Ihe pressure at which equilibrium is lestablished depends upon the relation of the weight of the sprinkler head to the area displaced by the spindle that enters chamber I2.

Screw I8 is `provided as a pivot to carry the weight of the sprinkler head and allow rotation thereof at line pressure below the equilibrium point. g

The projecting marginal portion of flange I prevents the rotary head from becoming inadvertently detached from the ltube I0 while the parts of the sprinkling system are being handled.

Formed in the sleeve a substantial distance below the chamber i2 is an annular groove I9 that communicates with the bearing formed through the head for tube |10 and leading from the bottom of chamber 2 downwardly through the head and communicating with groove I9 is a passage 2|).

Such construction prevents the pressure below the annular groove in the clearance between the tube I9 and head H from becoming greater than the pressure prevailing in chamber I2 and thus excessive leakage through the bearing between the tube and head is prevented. Otherwise, the full line pressure from partially closed ports would be exerted to produce leakage which might be considerable at relatively high pressure.

The pressure in the clearance above the groove Y i9 may be equal to the line pressure, but the groove and duct relieve that pressure by carrying the leakage due to pressure difference, back to chamber i2.

This particular form of sprinkler is particularly adapted to operate at relatively low pressures and to construct the same so that it would operate at a relatively high equilibrium point would necessarily add considerable extra weight which would be unwieldy and cumbersome.

The modication illustrated in Fig. 4 enables the normal weight to be maintained and at the same time establish practically any desired equilibrium point by varying the ratio of the diameter of tubular spindle |a to the diameter of an axially arranged stem |0b that projects from the upper end of spindle |0a upwardly through a bearing in the top of the rotary sprinkler head Ila, the diameter of said stem always being smaller than the diameter of the tubular spindle, In this constructiony the equilibrium point is reached when the difference in cross sectional area between the spindle lila and stem or extension Ib, times the unit pressure, equals the weight of the sprinkler head unit.

The modified construction illustrated in Figs. 5, 6, and 7 is particularly adapted for the types of sprinklers that are caused to rotate as a result of successive impacts of an oscillating arm and which form of sprinkler is disclosed in my above mentioned issued patent.

In this construction, sprinkler head unit 40 is mounted on the upper end of a tubular spindle 4| that is caused to rise through the upper portion of a head 4m that is mounted on the upper end of an upright supply pipe 4lib. As the spindle 4| moves upward, the passage of water from chamber 52 in the upper portion of head 4|a. through port 43 into spindle 4| is restricted. This rise and corresponding restriction of water flow into the spindle continues until the pressure in chamber 42 that is formed in the lower portion of head 4in. exerts an upward thrust on spindle 4| that equals the weight of the sprinkler head unit 40 plus the pull of a spring 44 that is located in chamber 42.

The tension of this spring may be adjusted by a screw 45 that is seated in a plug 45a that closes the lower end of chamber 42, thus establishing a balance or equilibrium point 'at the desired pressure. The swivel joint 44a at the upper end of spring 44 allows tubular spindle 4| to rotate while the spring 44 remains stationary. Ports 46 formed in the lower end of the tubular spindle 4| enables pressure within said spindle to prevail in chamber 42.

In this construction, the tubular spindle 4I may be provided with an annular groove 41 that corresponds with the groove |9 in the form of sprinkler illustrated in Fig. 1 and with a duct leading from said groove so as to prevent excessive leakage through the joint between the tubular spindle and head 4in.

Inasmuch as this form of sprinkler is rotated as the result of impacts of an oscillating arm A that is mounted on top of the head 40 and which is actuated by the jet of water issuing from jet nozzle N that projects from head 40, it is necessary to provide for considerable friction between the rotating head 40 and the head or body member 4|a that is mounted on tubular supply pipe `4|b. Otherwise, the impacts resulting from the oscillation of arm A would cause head 40 to rotate or move back and forth through a relatively small arc instead of moving intermittently through a complete circle.

To provide this necessary friction, ya collar 48 of resilient metal having a projecting finger 49 is mounted on the upper portion of fixed head 4| a and secured to and depending from the rotary head 49 is a yoke 5| that receives finger 49.

This construction enables the head 4|) mounted on the upper end of tubular spindle 4I to move vertically which is necessary in order to permit the regulating means to function and at the same time such structure provides the necessary frictional resistance to rotary motion of head 40 and the nozzle or nozzles carried thereby.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a self-regulating sprinkler that is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive of manufacture and very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

It will be understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved self-regulating sprinkler, may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a water sprinkler, a tubular spindle, a

sleeve mounted for rotation thereon, la head connected tosaid sleeve and containing a chamber, a groove formed in said sleeve which communicates with the bearing space between the spindle and the sleeve, and a passage formed in said sleeve which connects said chamber and said groove, said passage being independent of the space between the said spindle and the said sleeve.

2. In a water sprinkler, a tubular spindle, a

' sleeve mounted to rotate and slide upon said spindle, a head connected to said sleeve and containing a chamber, an outlet from said chamber, said spindle having an opening that communicates with the said chamber and means independent of the space between the said spindle and the said sleeve for conducting the leakage pressure from the space between said spindle and said sleeve into the said chamber.

3. A water sprinkler as set forth in claim 2 and with means for limiting the upward movement of the sleeve on said tubular spindle.

4. A water sprinkler as set forth in claim 2, with the surface of the bearing in said sleeve being in direct contact with the surface of said spindle so that the effective size of the said opening is diminished as the sleeve and sprinkler head moves upward on said tubular spindle.

5. In a water sprinkler, a tubular spindle, a sleeve mounted to rotate and slide upon said spindle, a head connected to said sleeve and containing a chamber having an outlet therefrom, there being an opening formed in said spindle with the surface of the bearing in said sleeve in direct contact with the surface of said spindle so that the effective area of said opening is diminished as the sleeve moves upward on said spindle, means for conducting the leakage pressure from the space between said sleeve and spindle into the chamber in said head and a stem projecting from the upper end of said spindle through the upper portion of said head, the diameter of which stern is less than the diameter of said spindle.

6. In a water sprinkler, a tubular spindle, a sleeve mounted to rotate and slide upon said spindle, a head connected to said sleeve, said head containing a chamber having an outlet therefrom, there being an opening formed in said spindle at a point where it is open when the sleeve is at the lower end of its travel, the effective area of which opening is diminished as the sleeve moves upward on said spindle and a stem projecting from the upper end of said spindle through the upper portion of said head, the diameter of which stem is less than the diameter of said spindle so as to maintain a relatively constant pressure in the chamber within the head as a result of the water pressure lifting said sleeve to restrict the effective size of the opening in the tubular spindle until a balance is established between the combined weight of said sleeve and sprinkler head and the upward thrust exerted by liquid pressure in the head.

'7. In a water sprinkler, a tubular spindle, a sleeve mounted to rotate and slide upon said spindle, a head connected to said sleeve and containing a chamber having an outlet therefrom, the duct through said spindle communieating with said chamber, there being an elongated bearing between said sleeve and spindle, said sleeve being provided at the intermediate portion of said elongated bearing with a groove and there being a duct formed in said sleeve for establishing communication between said groove and the chamber in said head.

ORTON H. ENGLEHART. 

